The Dangerous Trend of Dismissing Education

Why Humanities Matter More Than Ever

By Mel

On the famous short content app, TikTok, there is audio that's found itself to my for you page. This audio is a song with the quote “None of this will matter in an hour” on repeat, a song written years ago and is now finding some traction. Many of the videos under this sound are referring to senior year of high school, in which students speak about ‘senioritis’ and the feeling of how any drama will no longer matter very soon due to graduation, this is not the use of the audio I have come to find a problem with, I actually find it to be very relatable. My issue comes from a trend where people use this audio with a caption which implies that they no longer feel their pursuit for a degree in a humanities field, as they see it become attacked in American society.

In the image above, it is a woman speaking about how her degree will no longer matter soon due to a change in politics. I find this idea to be absurd. I watched a separate video in which someone explains this trend as a ‘pity party’ and I would agree, to be in a field that usually surrounds politics and history, one should understand the idea of resistance through education and existence. I do want to clarify my hate is not directed to one single video, but rather this as a movement. To decide that your major, which has already for decades been undervalued by society to STEM majors, no longer will matter because our government has had a political shift is laughable. It should be understood that your role becomes even more critical. When there are people speaking about how the Trump administration is affecting education, while statistically their fanbase does not have a higher education, it is not a coincidence. As Trump is known for not sticking to facts, or history, but instead fear-mongering, it makes sense that he would want Americans to be less educated. This is my biggest gripe. When your opposition wants you to be uneducated and fearful, why would you create a trend in which you create fear and promote the idea that your education does not matter? I understand being fearful, but history (what should be a key aspect to any humanities major) teaches us that when people stay together, and work against resistance even though it is inconvenient, there can be change. Another part of this trend is the idea that education as a whole is becoming meaningless. 

In this Tik Tok we see a girl talk about how learning history, “or learn literally anything”, no longer matters. Going back to my previous point, education is a privilege and power. We use history to see signs of what is coming, and understand what is happening today. When Trump announces he is trying to deport “illegal immigrants” we can infer from the history of his actions, and the history of other groups being targeted by a state, that this leads to violence, suppression, and propaganda. All things that can be understood, and people can be educated to not fall for. 

Overall, this is a trend that has become what it is trying to stand against. When times seem fearful, it's important to understand your place in resisting things you don't believe in. This trend has become a pity party, one that has confused me because why do you not believe what you do doesn't matter (maybe due to financial reasons), when you already are in a field that's historically under supported with a bad job market. Use your fear to build community and make change, because if your oppressor wants to erase your existence, existing is resilience.